Monday, April 07, 2014

Iraq snapshot

April 7, 2014. Chaos and violence continue, Nouri's assault on Anbar continues, campaigning picks up steam, Moqtada al-Sadr's political retirement was short lived, Nouri sees defections in his State of Law coalition, Tony Blair thinks the world still needs to hear from him, NSA whistle-blower Ed Snowden wins an award, and more.

Iraq is supposed to hold parliamentary elections April 30th. The outcome is supposed to determine who the prime minister is. Supposed to? Following the December 2005 parliamentary elections, the US government imposed Nouri al-Maliki on Iraq as prime minister. Following the March 2010 parliamentary elections, the US government imposed Nouri al-Maliki on Iraq as prime minister. Kurdistan Tribune's Kamal Chomani tells Joel Wing (Musings on Iraq), "What makes the elections more interesting is that all political
parties, including Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, are unanimously trying to put an
end to PM Maliki's authoritarian wishes, but it is very much clear that Maliki will
win. The whole elections will be about Maliki. The elections are like a
referendum on Maliki as in Turkey it was on Erdogan."

But the elections in 2010, the ones Nouri's State of Law lost to Ayad Allawi's Iraqiya? Those were a referendum as well even if US President Barack Obama chose to spit on the Iraqi voters by installing Nouri (via The Erbil Agreement) for a second term he didn't win. As Jason Ditz (Antiwar.com) noted last month, "Which is to say the US forced a puppet government into power before it
left, despite Prime Minister Maliki losing the last election, and put in
place an election system so crooked that even the Maliki-appointed election commission resigned en masse yesterday rather than take part in April’s planned vote."

Will the pattern of the US government insisting Nouri be prime minister repeat or will Iraqis finally be able to determine for themselves who they want as a leader?

That may be the biggest news to come out of the election.

In 2010, Nouri decided he was too good to run with his political party (Dawa) so he created his own coalition: State of Law.

Being stupid and physically ugly doesn't make you an automatic member of State of Law, but it doesn't hurt. Reidar Visser (Gulf Analysis) offered yesterday that State of Law was witnessing a number of defections and he identifies two as being the most potentially damaging:

Firstly there is list 228, headed by Izzat Shahbandar as candidate
no. 1 in Baghdad. It is also running in Wasit, Basra, Dhi Qar and
Karbala. The list also includes former Iraqiyya member Abd al-Khadar
Tahir, reflecting perhaps the fact that Shahbandar was formerly one of
the Maliki aides considered most sympathetic to the idea of cooperating
with Sunnis and secularists. Judging from the make-up of his list,
though, the successes in this respect north of Baghdad remain limited,
even after the split from Maliki.Second there is list 211, associated with Sami al-Askari. It will run
in most Shiite-majority governorates as well as in Diyala. Another
leading figure on the list is Najaf governor Adnan al-Zurfi. Given
the connection to Najaf, the list has links to Shiite religious circles
in Iraq’s holy cities. At the same time these are politicians with a
record of dialogue with the Americans and the West, perhaps more so than
some of the more Iran-sympathetic circles within State of Law.

The head of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, Ammar al-Hakim, and
the head of Sadr Trend, Muqtada al-Sadr, discussed the political
situation and the next elections.A statement received by All Iraq News Agency cited "Hakim met Sadr in Najaf province on last Saturday night.""Hakim
confirmed the necessity of adopting national unified stances and to
consolidate dialogue among the political sides," the statement added.

Moqtada and al-Hakim have been close, working partners since
the summer of 2013. Al-Monitor's Harith Hassan tells Joel Wing (Musings On Iraq), "Although Pro-Sadr block and
Hakim’s coalition are running separately, it is very likely they will ally
after the election, especially if they feel this move will help blocking
Maliki’s attempt to win a third term." Moqtada had another high profile discussion Sunday. NINA noted:

Kurdistan leader Massoud Barzani discussed on Sunday with head of the
Sadrists bloc cleric Moqtada al-Sadr the political and security
situation in the country. A statement by the presidency of the
Region today, said that Barzani and al-Sadr held a telephone
conversation during which they stressed the need to hold parliamentary
elections as scheduled in a stable and quiet atmosphere.

Interesting since Moqtada was 'out of politics.' Clearly, that's not
the case. He wouldn't be talking elections today with Ammar al-Hakim
and with KRG President Massoud Barzani.

Moqtada al-Sadr announced his political retirement February 15th. February 18th, he delivered a speech -- CounterPunch posted the speech in full -- emphasizing his decision. February 26th, NINA noted the rumors that Moqtada left Iraq, "The sources noted in a press statement that Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr left
today's afternoon the city of Najaf heading to the Islamic Republic of
Iran in order to complete his religious studies and stay away from the
political scene as he officially announced for all Iraqis." Yet March 14th, Moqtada returned to Iraq.

Clearly, Moqtada has not stepped away from the political scene. Things might be easier for Nouri if he had.

Who was it that got Moqtada to return? Who should Nouri blame for that?

Background. Nouri's big mouth ended up tanking his own two-day
conference. For those who missed it, Nouri's fat mouth was flapping
last Saturday insulting many as he spoke to France24. France 24's Mark Perelman interviewed (link is text and video) Nouri for a half hour broadcast which aired Saturday.
In the interview, Nouri's well noted paranoia was on full display as
he repeatedly declared, in the very first two minutes, his alleged
'victory' over those attempting to turn Iraq and Syria into one country
("there are goals to create a one state," "create a state -- one part in
Syria and one part in Iraq"). He continued to gab and began accusing
other countries of supporting terrorism (he was supposedly going to
reveal proof of his gossip in the conference but, as usual, his fat
mouth made empty promises). He also insulted Moqtada.

That's right, Moqtada returned because Nouri attacked him on French television. Alsumaria notes that a State of Law MP denounced Moqtada and Barzani's conversation. State of Law is clearly upset by Moqtada's return. They need to remember Nouri is the reason Moqtada is back.

Kitabat reports on a new rumor that Moqtada, Ammar al-Hakim and Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi have a secret agreement to band together to form a coalition government after the election -- one that would leave Nouri in the dust.

Within hours of the official start of campaigning for
Iraq’s general elections, due to be held at the end of the month, the
streets of every major city were, quite literally, full of campaign
posters. It seemed as if the various parties were not just in a race to
win votes, they were also racing to occupy the most visible parts of
each city with their campaign materials.

The general elections, the first to be held since US forces left the country, will take place on April 30 and will see around 9040 candidates competing
for 328 seats in Baghdad’s Parliament, within 39 major coalitions, with
Shiite Muslim, Sunni Muslim and Kurdish being the main flavours.

The most vital places for politicking seem to be public
squares and the entrances and exits to bridges – because many locals use
these whether they are driving or walking. Additionally election
campaigners are doing their best to get permission to hang posters on
the largest buildings and biggest bridges.

“The emphasis is always on the wealthier areas –
especially in Baghdad,” Samad al-Qadi tells NIQASH; he’s been contracted
to distribute campaign materials for one of the country’s larger
political parties and he’s employed 50 other people to help him. “Areas
like Karrada, Mansour and Sadoun are most popular to hang posters and
banners in Baghdad.”

Omar al-Jaffal (Al-Monitor) adds, "There is an undeclared war among the political blocs, as [some
candidates] tear down their opponents’ posters in some areas. Moreover,
there are claims that some blocs have hired youth to tear down posters and disfigure image." Still on the subject of the campaign posters, Iraq's always useless Ministry of Women (headed by a woman who doesn't believe women should have rights) is having a fit. Kirkuk Now reports males are taking photos of themselves kissing the posters of some female candidates. If there's a problem with this it would be that it may be (or may be interpreted) as ridiculing female candidates. But the Ministry of Women? It's "immoral," they say. It's kissing a poster. Again, the Ministry's headed by Nouri's hand picked anti-women woman.

An Iraqi
parliamentarian has dismissed the authority of the constitution and the
law to declare that the time has come to implement the principle of “an
eye for an eye” to manage the sectarian conflict that is currently
raging in Iraq.The media uproar which followed the Iraqi MP’s comments did not deter
her or encourage her to retract her comments, and the echoes of her
statement remained loud in the public arena. To top it off, Fatlawi is a
member of the State of Law parliamentary coalition led by Prime
Minister Nuri Al-Maliki.The Iraqi MP’s TV moment of error ignited a firestorm on social
media, worsening the sectarian discourse in the country and intensifying
its hate campaigns. It is language that encourages the shedding of
blood, which is what is taking place in Iraq and in many surrounding
countries.In fact, the Iraqi MP did not depart from the line taken by the prime
minister himself two weeks ago when he declared the principle of “blood
for blood” in the case of the killing of journalist Mohammad Al-Bdaiwi
at the hands of a Republican Guard officer.

The killing of the journalist was exploited in a manner which has not
been seen in other daily killings taking place across the country. It
is an incident which took place at a time which suited the current
circumstances, and which, in turn, Maliki tried to benefit from.

Nouri did try to use that death. He wasn't the only one.

The US State Dept has not made a point to note a single journalist killed or attacked in Iraq since Barack was sworn in as president. But they noted that one. Marie Harf announced it before she took questions.

Because they care so damn much?

Get real. Saturday saw another attack on the press in Iraq. The Journalistic Freedom Observatory in Iraq notes
that Al-Ghadeer reporter Karim al-Qaisi was attacked Saturday morning.
The fifty-year-old reporter was severely beaten on the orders of Diyala
Province Governor Amir al-Majamyi. Karim explains the governor ordered
his security detail to grab him and they beat him in the face and
dragged him fifty meters while journalists looked on. Those who
attempted to film the assault were threatened with violence.

Today, the State Dept didn't note it at all.

They only pretend to care.

Which is why Nouri's able to kill civilians in Anbar every day with the US government never objecting.

Yang Lina (Xinhua) reports the latest outcome of the Iraqi military shelling residential neighborhoods in Anbar:Separately, artillery and mortar shelling on several
neighborhoods in the besieged city of Fallujah left a civilian killed
and nine others wounded, a medical source from the city hospital said.Meanwhile, several mortar rounds landed on the town of Garma near
Fallujah, damaging several houses and wounding four civilians, including
a child, a local police source said.

The violence continues. And yet no one wants to take responsibility, especially not War Hawk Tony Blair. Matt Chorley (Daily Mail) reports the latest on War Criminal Tony Blair:

Public opposition should not stop Britain embarking on new foreign invasions, Tony Blair has claimed.The
former Prime Minister insisted domestic resistance to military
intervention does not ‘invalidate the necessity to intervene’.

If you caught NBC's Today show last week, you saw Jenna Bush Hager
interview her father Bully Boy Bush who had a little exhibit at his
library of paintings. This included one of Tony Blair and when Jenna
asked what Tony thought of the portrait, Bully Boy Bush stopped snorting
and guffawing and mentioned he'd told Tony about it but Tony didn't
seem interested.

Hard Times For War Hawks.

But outside of doing a favor for his daughter, Bully Boy Bush largely
remains under his rock. He knows he can't help his political party and
any war he might champion would only sour due to his endorsement.

April 4, 2014

U.S. Embassy Baghdad

Warning regarding Baghdad International Airport

Due to specific threat information, U.S. government and U.S.
Embassy-affiliated personnel have been prohibited from using the Baghdad
International Airport through April 8, 2014. Out of an abundance of
caution, U.S. citizens are warned to avoid traveling through Baghdad
International Airport. If you have an emergency, please call the
American Citizen Services emergency line at 0760-030-4888 or
0770-443-1286.

The U.S. Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens in all areas of Iraq,
including the IZ, maintain a heightened sense of security awareness and
take appropriate measures to enhance personal and operational security
at this time. U.S. citizens are advised to keep a low profile; vary
days, times, and routes of travel; and exercise caution while driving
and entering or exiting vehicles.

U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad should enroll in the SmartTraveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
U.S. citizens without internet access may enroll directly at the U.S.
Embassy or Consulate at their destination. By enrolling, U.S. citizens
make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency.

U.S. citizens may contact the U.S. Embassy, located in the IZ, via e-mail to BaghdadACS@state.gov.
In the event of a U.S. citizen emergency please contact:
0770-443-1286 (from Iraq) or 011-964-770-443-1286 (from the United
States).

U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Department of State's, Bureau of Consular Affairs website, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information can be found. The U.S. Embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to review Traveler's Checklist which includes valuable security information for those living and traveling abroad. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook
as well. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may
obtain the latest information on security conditions by calling
1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or outside the
United States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time,
Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

About Me

We do not open attachments. Stop e-mailing them. Threats and abusive e-mail are not covered by any privacy rule. This isn't to the reporters at a certain paper (keep 'em coming, they are funny). This is for the likes of failed comics who think they can threaten via e-mails and then whine, "E-mails are supposed to be private." E-mail threats will be turned over to the FBI and they will be noted here with the names and anything I feel like quoting.
This also applies to anyone writing to complain about a friend of mine. That's not why the public account exists.